RANGELEY LAKES, MAINE: FISHES, ANGLING, AND FISH CULTURE. 497 



combined a sort of a reversed S shape. The total length in a general northwest and 

 southeast direction is about 5^ miles. The greatest width of about lyi miles is in 

 the upper portion, whence it narrows to one-third of a mile or less. The immediate 

 shores are, for the most part, considerably higher than those of the upper lake. The 

 shore line is fairly regular and there are few strongly projecting points. Horse Beef 

 Point on the western side is near the foot of the Narrows, and about two-fifths of a mile 

 from this point on the same side of the lake is another prominent cape known as Jackson 

 Point. The southern end of the lake gradually tapers to the extremity of what is known 

 as the South Arm. There is ho landmark defining the beginning of the South Arm, 

 unless it is a small abrupt projection from the eastern side, known as Hardscrabble Point, 

 a little over 2 miles from the foot of the Narrows and something over 3 miles to the 

 extreme head of the South Arm. At the inner portion of the South Arm is a chain of 

 islands and connecting bars inclosing a shallow-water area known as the Pocket. At 

 the end of this place the immediate shore is low and there is only 1 7 feet height of land 

 between high-water line and the headwaters of Black Brook, a tributary of the Andros- 

 coggin River. There are but few other islands, and they are very small. The most 

 noted of these is Spirit Island, not far southward of Hardscrabble Point. Its name 

 indicates its legendary origin. 



There are no important tributaries. The largest is Black Cat Brook, entering the 

 western side of the lake some distance below Middle Dam Cove. 



The dam that controls the flow of these lakes is known as Middle Dam, and is about 

 170 feet between abutments. It is a house dam, completely controlling the flow through 

 the gates, with no provision for an open overflow or weir. The sill of the dam is 197.08 

 feet above that of Errol Dam at the head of the Androscoggin, just below Umbagog 

 Lake. The dam, which is about 22 feet from sill to floor, will hold a head of about 21 

 feet. 



The combined area of the two lakes at high-water line is 13.08 square miles, having 

 a total capacity of 5,294,276,000 cubic feet. The general depth of Molechunkamunk 

 Lake is somewhat less than that of Wellekennebacook. At the northern end and between 

 the mouth of Mill Brook and the islands and bar obstructing the entrance to the West 

 Arm the depth ranges from 17 to 32 feet, but within the West Arm a considerable por- 

 tion carries a depth of 72 to 87 feet. The 87-foot point is the deepest water of the lake. 

 In the main lake the deepest soundings made are at a point about midway of a line 

 across the lake and about four-fifths of a mile above a parallel line drawn across from the 

 inlet, where 82 feet are found. Between this point and a line from the mouth of Mill 

 Brook the depth varies in the deepest portions from about 40 to 50 feet. About midway 

 of a cross hne from the inlet 80 feet of water occurs, shoaling both easterly and westerly 

 but carrying a good depth to very near shore. The deep portion of the lake then carries 

 depths ranging gradually from about 80 down to about 20 or 30 feet just before the 

 Narrows are reached. The upper half of the Narrows carries 30 to 40 feet and the lower 

 half 12 to 30 feet of water. In a line from Jackson Point to Lakewood Camps Wharf on 

 the northern side of the outlet cove, a distance of i mile, the depth ran from 27 feet at 

 the point to 48 feet about one-half the distance from the point, thence down to 12 feet 

 near the wharf. In a line from Jackson Point directly across to the eastern shore the 

 water deepened from 41 feet not far from the point to 78 feet about hahway across, 

 thence shoaled to 23 feet about one-tenth of a mile from shore. In a line from the ter- 



